Preparations
by Miss Corrine
Summary: The Avengers and their allies prepare for the newest upcoming conflict as they go through a range of emotions as they prepare. (No spoilers for Infinity War.)


**Author's Note:** Hello everybody. I wanted to write something before _Infinity War_ came out for the majority of the world and in honor of ten years of Marvel movies.

It took me forever to come up with a good idea and actually get the motivation to write. Then, I got this. A rather unusual idea admittedly. This is not my best work. I hit writer's block and had a few personal things arise that kept getting in my way. I also wrote for characters I've never written for before and for those I'm not too familiar with.

I just hope this is decent at least. I wanted to get this posted before _Infinity War_ came out for the majority of the world but I am obviously cutting it a bit close. So if you've seen it or just parts of it, I ask for no spoilers, please. I haven't even seen it.

This story has no beta and I am not the best with grammar or editing. I am also a relatively new author and this is among my first stories. I ask for and welcome constructive criticism.

* * *

 **Preparations**

* * *

 _Fear_

* * *

"If I make the call I'm sure Steve will answer. But will it be enough?"

Tony Stark paces his darkened lab, alight only by the holograms hovering in the air. The images of a wormhole, of space, his friends, _family_ , dead and the sensation of falling, falling, falling float up to the forefront of Tony's mind. Panic seizes his chest, his heartbeat increases, and he can feel the trickle of fear down his spine. He drags in a deep breath and tries to center himself.

"Boss," asks FRIDAY questioningly.

"I'm fine," Tony dismisses.

The flashbacks have been coming back more frequently as the PTSD rears it head into him. This new threat. A threat that they weren't even sure of what it was. There were rumors with each worse than the last. If the rumors heard or what he saw during the Battle of New York were an indicator...well. Whatever was coming...it was big.

Tony had feared that this would happen. He had ever since New York. He knew something was coming but no one believed him. He designed ULTRON to help protect the world but he made a mistake and made a murder bot instead. Tony hoped the Accords might open a door for world wide protection but instead opened a door for heartache. Now, the world was unprepared.

Tony now feared with every fiber of his being of what was coming and what would happen next.

* * *

 _Apprehension_

* * *

Peter Parker sat on the edge of a building in Queens as he swung his legs back and forth. Patrol was coming near to its end with his curfew only an hour away. Ever since Aunt May found out, well, let's just say a lot had ended up happening. He was still allowed to be Spider-Man, with a few stipulations. One of them being a curfew.

In the back of his head, there was a nagging thought. A while back, after starting a real internship at Stark Industries and a separate one with Mr. Stark, he had been noticing stuff.

It was simple at first. He had seen new designs of Iron Man and War Machine suits. He had seen brief glimpses of files on the Battle of New York, something called the Mind Stone, and on the Chitauri tech. He had overheard conversations between Mr. Stark and other people, the main one being someone called Strange. Peter had also saw Mr. Stark staring intently at an old flip phone on more than one occasion.

Peter wasn't sure what was going on. Not really, but had to be important going by the looks of it. He had tried to ask Karen but he got no answers from her. His spider sense, whenever he thought of it, tingles lightly in a way that meant danger. That just made Peter more curious.

Peter wondered if a new mission was coming up. He also wondered if he'd be allowed to come. Peter knew he wanted to stay working just in Queens after the Vulture, but he also really wanted to know what it was like to be an actual Avenger.

Mr. Stark promised he could become a member once he was eighteen, after the talk with Aunt May, but Peter was still curious. Peter knew he was also just very apprehensive to prove himself to Mr. Stark. He was a jumble of apprehension. He needed to prove to Mr. Stark was still right to trust him. Peter knew he could help with whatever was happening. He just needed the chance to prove himself.

* * *

 _Surprise_

* * *

James "Rhodey" Rhodes had seen a lot in his life. He was former military, a member of the Avengers, and the best friend of Tony Stark. At this point he thought he had seen it all. He'd been to war and come back, he'd fought a murder bot inadvertently created by Tony, he'd seen aliens, he'd fought against his own team, and saw Tony struggle through so much.

Rhodey thought that at this point that nothing could really surprise him. Apparently, he was wrong.

When Rhodey learned from Tony of his new threat, another extraterrestrial threat, he wasn't sure what to think. He had seen aliens and he knew Thor. He knew they existed but what Tony was talking about? That was a completely different level.

Tony was already starting to prepare and trying to find new allies. Someone called Strange was among the candidates for new allies. Rhodey was doing his best but the sheer magnitude of it all was shocking. And he once thought nothing could surprise him.

* * *

 _Expectation_

* * *

Gamora knew this would come one day. Ever since she had been taken in by Thanos she knew he was planning something.

Gamora had been just a young girl when Thanos slaughtered her people and took her in. Raised as his daughter and assassin alongside Nebula. She was at his side as he tracked down the Infinity Stones. She watched as he found the Asgardian Prince Loki and twisted him for his own use. Even after all these years she could remember his reactions to the failed invasion of Earth. A new challenge for him, a new world to conquer.

As she traveled with the Guardians, Gamora let her worries drift to the back of her mind. Now, though, she knew they were right to return with what was coming. The Guardians wouldn't be able to face this alone. They'd need help. Gamora had been expecting this, even if she didn't want to acknowledge it.

* * *

 _Vigilance_

* * *

Stephen Strange hovered in the New York Sanctum. Looking out onto the streets he watched people walk the streets of Greenwich, completely unaware of the impending threat.

Stephen stroked his chin and sighed as he floated away from the window and down to the floor. Thanos. The Mad Titan. When he began to create a list of other world or realm threat to Earth he was at the top of the list.

Stephen did not know much about the man, no one did, not for certain. All he knew for certain is that he was searching for the Infinity Stones and collecting the ones he finds. If the intel was correct he had at least one stone and maybe a second. Thanos already had the gauntlet as well. Now, he was heading for Earth.

The signs of Thanos had been there for years. The Ancient One had saw and had begun preparations but never put them in place. Now, it was Stephen's job to put the plans into place. Until anything happened, Stephen could only remain vigilant and prepare for the worse.

* * *

 _Determination_

* * *

T'Challa gazed out of the window and onto Wakanda. When he decided to open up Wakanda to the world he wasn't sure to expect. He just knew it was time to stop hiding in the shadows. Wakanda merely prepared for the storm ahead.

In the beginning, after the press conference, nothing had been easy. They were navigating uncharted waters. Dangerous, uncharted waters. Nothing like this had ever happened before but Wakanda persevered. By now, the worst of the worst was over with. Wakanda still had it's trouble, but due to T'Challa, Nakia, and Shuri's work it eventually was settled. Even if Shuri caused some trouble alongside her help.

New troubles, however, seemed to be on the horizon. The war dogs planted in other countries, governments, and organizations had begun coming back to Wakanda on T'Challa's orders. There was no need for spies anymore. With them, they brought reports speaking of the seemingly unimaginable. Aliens. An invasion. Objects known as the Infinity Stones. The world was becoming an even stranger place.

T'Challa had been unsure what to think when the reports first started coming in but after more than thirty war dogs having similar reports the wariness started to set in. Something was coming. Not too long afterwards, Tony Stark reached out and invited him to the Avengers Compound for a meeting. He accepted the offer.

T'Challa had returned from America not too long ago, now with much more on his mind. Stark had confirmed that everything was true. A powerful extraterrestrial threat was searching for immensely powerful objects known as Infinity Stones and Earth was his next stop. Stark was already trying to prepare with the help of a man known as Doctor Strange and an order known as the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

T'Challa was not sure of his course of action for himself and Wakanda to take when leaving America but now he did. Wakanda had the resources to help. They had the power to backup Stark and the team he was attempting to rebuild. Stark was showing an amazing sense of determination to fight what was coming. T'Challa now decided that was determined to help Stark with this threat.

* * *

 _Trust_

* * *

Thor looked out the window of the ship into the void of space. Asgard was gone, his father dead, his sister's fate not entirely known, and the remaining Asgardians drifting in space until they reach Miguard. Thor glanced at his reflection in the glass. So much had changed within the last few days. So much. His thoughts drifted to his brother, Loki.

Thor and Loki had never gotten along perfectly. Even as children. They were different. Complete opposites. As the years passed, they drifted and drifted. Loki had his magic and Thor had his battles and weapons.

Thor, despite their differences, had always trusted Loki to have his back in battle. They made a perfect team despite the differences. They knew each other better than anyone when on the battlefield. After the failed coronation, the battle on the Bifrost, and the Battle of New York Thor never thought he could trust his brother ever again. Too much pain was inflicted and his trust shattered.

Now? Thor trusted Loki. After Skaar, Hela, and Ragnarok Loki had stood by him. He'd even come back after reviving Surtur. Loki didn't leave for once. So, Thor trusted him. After everything, Thor still trusted his brother.

Next, they had to reach Miguard. Needed to find sanctuary. Get in contact with the other Avengers. Then, Thor had to inform them of what he had learned during his travels.

* * *

 _Remorse_

* * *

Another weapon had finally been tracked down and retrieved. Steve Rogers sat down heavily in the hideout as Sam and Nat milled about. Tracking the weaponry had been easy but retrieving it, not so much. It was a hard fight for the three of them but in the end they got it and heard interesting rumors. They had to remain undetected by the UN, governments, the people or groups possessing the weapons, and most of all, Tony while retrieving the weapons.

Steve sighed. Not a day went by did he not think about the Accords, Siberia, or Tony himself. No matter how much time had passed, those three thoughts were in his mind. If Steve was asked if he regretted anything he did or was done he wouldn't be sure how to answer. It was both _yes_ and a _no_.

Steve didn't regret protecting Bucky. Bucky was his friend and all he had left. He didn't regret disagreeing with the the Accords. They were wrong. Steve knew not to trust the government, not after SHIELD. He didn't regret breaking the others out of the Raft. They were being hurt. However, Steve regrets that the Accords situation wasn't handled better. He regrets Siberia.

The one thing he regretted most of all, was hurting Tony. They may have never seen eye to eye or gotten along well but Steve never wanted to hurt him. Steve knew that he did, now, and he regretted it.

Yet, Steve needed to push all of it out of his mind. If the rumors that they heard when getting the weapons were true then something was coming. Something capable of rivaling the Battle of New York. There were whispers of people beginning to prepare for what was coming. Now, it was time for them to.

* * *

 _Dread_

* * *

The day was approaching. No one was sure when it would arrive but it was getting closer. A deep pit of dread was growing bigger in each and every one of them. Dread didn't even begin to cover it. They did not know for certain what was coming but they all knew it involved the Infinity Stones. Everyone prepared. A war was coming, one for the ages. No one was sure how it would end. No one was sure of who would live or who would die. Nothing was certain, not anymore.

* * *

 _Acceptance_

* * *

The time had come. They had waited. They prepared as well as they could. They trained, they regrouped, and they found allies. They went through a range of emotions during their journey. Now, it was time for the end. The die had been cast. Thanos has arrived and the Infinity War begun.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, how was it? I hope at least one person enjoyed it.

It was a pain to write for Thor, Gamora, Rhodey, and Steve. I've never written for Thor or Gamora. Rhodey was just hard to write. And I had a hard time with Steve, especially since I'm more of a Tony fan. I hope I got at least them at least a little correct.

Also, if anything is incorrect I am sorry. I couldn't remember some parts of canon, especially the Ragnarok stuff. Or the facts established by the Infinity War prelude comics, which I've yet to read. I couldn't double check facts without potentially seeing spoilers.

Please review and give constructive criticism. I really need the advice and opinions. Also, sorry for the long ANs. If you can't tell, I'm very nervous about this.

-Miss Corrine


End file.
